Footing for boat cover support

Abstract

A footing for a support, such as a pole. The footing includes a generally flat and flexible base, a support receiver formed on the base, and a slit through the base and extending inwardly toward the support receiver from an outer edge of the base.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A footing for a boat cover support pole, comprising:
 a base having an outer periphery and a top surface, the base formed of a flexible polymer material; 
 a support receiver connected to and extending above the top surface of the base within the outer periphery; and 
 the base including a slit extending from the outer periphery toward the support receiver, wherein the base is adapted to be set upon a surface of a boat and the support receiver is adapted to receive a boat cover pole. 
 
     
     
       2. The footing of  claim 1 , wherein the base and the support receiver are integrally formed. 
     
     
       3. The footing of  claim 2 , wherein the support receiver is formed of the flexible polymer material. 
     
     
       4. The footing of  claim 3 , wherein the flexible polymer has a Shore A hardness of about 80 or less. 
     
     
       5. The footing of  claim 3 , wherein the flexible polymer has a coefficient of friction of at least 0.30 with a fiberglass, metal, or gelcoat surface. 
     
     
       6. The footing of  claim 1 , wherein the support receiver comprises a recessed cup for receiving an end of the support. 
     
     
       7. The footing of  claim 6 , further comprising a rigid protective element at a bottom of the recessed cup, wherein during use the protective member is disposed between an end of the boat cover support pole and the flexible polymer base. 
     
     
       8. The footing of  claim 7 , further comprising a recess in an inner wall of the recessed cup, wherein at least a portion of an edge of the protective element is disposed within the recess. 
     
     
       9. The footing of  claim 1 , wherein the slit has a length of more than 25% of a radius of the base. 
     
     
       10. The footing of  claim 1 , wherein the slit has a length of more than 50% of a radius of the base. 
     
     
       11. The footing of  claim 1 , wherein the base is formed of a material selected from nylon, thermoplastic elastomers, polyolefins, polyurethane, thermoplastic vulcanizate, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, plastomers, polylactic acid, ploycarbonate, polyester, polyetherimide, polyethylene, polyphenylene ether, polyphthalamide, polypropylene, polystyrene, polysulfone, polyvinyl chloride, styrene-butadiene copolymer, polystyrene, and combination thereof. 
     
     
       12. A footing for a boat cover support pole, comprising:
 a base having an outer periphery; 
 a support receiver outwardly extending from one surface of the base within the outer periphery, the support receiver comprising a recessed cup adapted to receive the boat cover support pole; 
 the base and the support receiver integrally formed from a flexible polymer to form a flexible base adapted to be set upon a surface of a boat; and 
 a slit extending through the base and from the outer periphery toward and stopping short of the support receiver, wherein a first portion of the base on one side of the slit lifts independent of a second portion of the base on a second side of the slit. 
 
     
     
       13. The footing of  claim 12 , wherein the flexible polymer has a Shore A hardness of about 80 or less, and a coefficient of friction of at least 0.30 with a fiberglass, metal, or gelcoat surface. 
     
     
       14. The footing of  claim 12 , further comprising a rigid protective element at a bottom of the recessed cup, wherein during use the protective member is disposed between an end of the boat cover support pole and the flexible polymer base. 
     
     
       15. The footing of  claim 14 , further comprising a recess in an inner wall of the recessed cup, wherein at least a portion of an edge of the protective element is disposed within the recess. 
     
     
       16. The footing of  claim 12 , wherein the slit has a length of more than 50% of a radius of the base. 
     
     
       17. The footing of  claim 12 , wherein the slit has a length of more than 75% of a radius of the base. 
     
     
       18. A footing for a boat cover support pole, comprising:
 a generally circular and flexible base formed of a flexible polymer and having an outer periphery and an outwardly extending support receiver at a center of the base, the support receiver comprising a recessed cup adapted to receive the boat cover support pole and including an inner wall, a bottom end, and a recess in the inner wall and adjacent the bottom end; 
 a rigid protective element disposed within the recessed cup and including at least a portion of an edge disposed within the recess, wherein during use the protective member is disposed between an end of the boat cover support pole and the flexible polymer base; and 
 a slit through the base and extending from the outer periphery toward and stopping short of the support receiver. 
 
     
     
       19. The footing of  claim 18 , wherein the flexible polymer has a Shore A hardness of about 80 or less, and a coefficient of friction of at least 0.30 with a fiberglass, metal, or gelcoat surface. 
     
     
       20. The footing of  claim 18 , wherein the base has a diameter of about 8 to about 12 inches, and the slit comprises a width from 0.06 to about 0.15 inch at an end toward the support receiver.